Vascular stents are deployed at a narrowed site in a blood vessel of a patient for widening the vessel lumen and circumferentially supporting the vessel wall. Vascular stents desirably present a small cross-sectional dimension or profile for introducing the stent into the affected vessel lumen.
One approach to providing a vascular stent is the use of a piece of wire bent into a number of turns. Although suitable for its intended use, a problem with these bent wire stents is that stress points are formed at each wire bend or turn. As a result, the wire stent is structurally compromised at a number of points. Furthermore, bent wire stents lack longitudinal stability. For example, a wire stent is typically positioned in a blood vessel over an inflatable balloon. The balloon expands first at opposite ends, where the balloon is not in contact with the wire stent. As a result, the wire stent is longitudinally compressed between the inflated balloon ends. With continued inflation, the middle of the balloon expands, thereby unevenly expanding the wire bends of the longitudinally compressed wire stent. In an attempt to remedy the problem, the stent wire material has been formed to cross over or attach to itself. A problem with this attempted remedy is that the cross-sectional dimension of the stent, or stent profile, is increased, and the stent intrudes into the effective lumen of the blood vessel. The effective lumen of the blood vessel is further constricted by the growth of endothelial tissue layers over the stent wire. As a result, the stent and tissue growth impede fluid flow and cause turbulence in the vessel lumen. Another problem with this attempted remedy is that galvanic action, exposure to a reactive surface, or ion migration, occurs at the wire-to-wire contact points. The wire stent material rubs when movement occurs during ordinary blood flow and pulsation as well as patient muscle movement.
Another approach to providing a vascular stent is the use of a piece of metal cannula with a number of openings formed in the circumference thereof. A problem with the use of a metal cannula stent is that the stent is rigid and inflexible. As a result, the stent is difficult, if not impossible, to introduce through the tortuous vessels of the vascular system for deployment at a narrowed site. Furthermore, the stent is too rigid to conform with a curvature of a blood vessel when deployed at an occlusion site. Another problem with the use of a metal cannula stent is that the stent longitudinally shrinks during radial expansion. As a result, the position of the metal cannula stent shifts, and the stent supports a shorter portion of the blood vessel wall than anticipated merely by stent length.
Yet another approach to providing a vascular stent is the use of a wire mesh that is rolled into a generally tubular shape. A problem with the use of a wire mesh stent is that the overlapping wires forming the mesh increase the stent profile, thereby reducing the effective lumen of the blood vessel. The growth of endothelial tissue layers over the wire mesh further reduces the effective blood vessel lumen. Another problem with this approach is that ion migration also occurs at the wire-to-wire contact points.
Still yet another approach to providing a vascular stent is the use of a flat metal sheet with a number of openings formed in rows therein. The flat metal sheet stent also includes three rows of fingers or projections positioned on one edge of the stent along the axis thereof. When expanded, a row of the fingers or projections is positioned through a row of openings on the opposite edge of the stent for locking the expanded configuration of the stent. A problem with the use of the flat metal sheet stent is that the overlapping edges of the stent increase the stent profile. Again, the stent profile and endothelial growth reduce the effective blood vessel lumen. Another problem with the use of the flat metal sheet stent is that the fingers or projections along one edge of the stent make wire-to-wire contact with the opposite edge of the stent. As a result, the metal edges of the stent rub during movement caused by blood flow, pulsation, and muscle movement. Yet another problem with the use of the flat metal sheet stent is that the fingers or projections extend radially outwardly and into the vessel wall. As a result, the intimal layer of the vessel wall is scraped, punctured, or otherwise injured. Injury and trauma to the intimal layer of the vessel wall result in hyperplasia and cell proliferation, which in turn effect stenosis or further narrowing of the vessel at the stent site.